Introduction to Level 1-2 Games
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Welcome to GeoPlunge!
Thank you for your recent purchase of GeoPlunge. You are now part of a community of players across the country who are learning United States geography and much more through games where speed, strategy, critical thinking, and fun reign! Knowledge of U.S. geography is also helpful, but you can learn as you play. GeoPlunge games are frequently played in groups of three to enhance teamwork, but the games are just as easily played with one or two players per team.
There are virtually an unlimited number of games that you can play with the cards in the GeoPlunge® box. This packet includes easy-to-follow rules for four of the games you can play at home or in the classroom, and we’ve also included rules for two different levels for each of these games (i.e., the most basic level and a somewhat more advanced level). Visit our YouTube channel, GeoPlunge, for video instructions. Contact us at [email protected] if you are interested in free copies of even more advanced rules for these games, rules for other games, or our rules for early learning games. Rules for the following games are included in the packet:
- Border-Up™: A fast-paced race where players try to find groups of border states from the cards they are dealt faster than the opposing team
- State IQ™: A trivia game in which players learn border states, state capitals and the 2-letter state abbreviations in the easier version, and the largest cities, state nicknames, birds, flags, flowers of the states plus much more in the advanced versions
- Dashing States™: A fast-paced race that helps players learn where all the states are located on a map; players can also learn capitals through this game
- Play the Ranks™: A strategy-laden game where the state rankings in size, population, and date of entry into the union of the cards played by the teams determines who succeeds
While each of the games is fun and exciting to play separately, for even more variety (and as we do in GeoPlunge tournaments), try playing a combination of games all during the same match. Examples of this are described below:
GeoPlunge® Races
If you like race games, alternate between Border-Up™ and Dashing States™ races until one team wins the game.
GeoPlunge® Races and Rankings
If you like the race games and Play the Ranks™, play a Border-Up™ race, followed by a Dashing States™ race, followed by one round of Play the Ranks™, and repeat until one team wins the game.
GeoPlunge® State Trivia Contests and State Rankings Battles
If you like the trivia of State IQ™ and all of the strategies involved in Play the Ranks™, alternate between playing rounds of State IQ™ and Play the Ranks™, until one team wins the game.
GeoPlunge® All
Play one round of each of the 4 games in the following order: Border-Up™, State IQ™, Dashing States™, Play the Ranks™, and repeat until one team wins the game.
In Level 1, the first team to earn 10 points wins the game. In Level 2, the first team to earn 15 points wins the game. When playing any of these GeoPlunge® combination games, feel free to use any of the variations of the games described in the individual game rules. Have fun!
GeoPlunge Cards
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State name and abbreviation/postal code
Note: Color designations relate to time zones. A dot in the upper right corner indicates a secondary time zone for that state.
Red: Eastern Time Zone
Green: Central Time Zone
Blue: Mountain Time Zone
Purple: Pacific Time Zone
Brown: Alaska
Orange: Hawaii - Statehood: State rank based on the date the state entered the Union
- PATOS: President at the Time of Statehood
- State Flag
- Size: State rank based on square mileage of the state; Percent Water: Percent water of the state
- Population: State rank based on population
- Census information for 2000 and 2010. Electoral Votes: Number of Electoral Votes during an election
- State Flower
- State Capital (noted with a star on the map)
- State Bird
- 5 Top Cities based on population
- State Nickname
- Border States: Names of border state(s)